First indigenous Kenyan woman to play key role in Safari Rally
Safari Rally’s Assistant Secretary of Stewards, Magdalene Kiiru, will be the first native Kenyan woman to hold such a top position in an international event when the Safari returns as a World Rally Championship round next year after an 18-year hiatus. PHOTO | POOL |
What you need to know:
- Kiiru participated in three Kenya National Rally Championship rounds. Her first event was the 2012 KCB Eldoret Rally and thereafter, two Guru Nanak events after graduating from ASRA. She has also done time keeping in many autocross events while at KMSF.
- “In additional to amazing rally friends, I learnt the basics which have been fundamental in the rally journey,” Kiiru said.
Relatively unknown Magdalene Wambui Kiiru is now a big name in the organisation of international rallies and especially the Safari Rally, a World Rally Championship (WRC) round.
“Rallying is a big part of my life, I’m passionate about it and every day is a learning curve as rules keep changing. It has enabled me to travel and interact with amazing people whom I also learn from. In a nutshell, it’s like a global village,” Kiiru told Nation Sport.
“It brings people from all walks of life, gender, and colour together to enjoy the sport. I’m looking forward to the return of the WRC Safari Rally in 2021 and be part of the dream team that will ensure we have a world class event after an 18-year hiatus,” she added.
The 33-year-old is an Assistant Secretary of Stewards in the WRC Safari Rally, thus becomes the first ever indigenous woman to hold such a post in the history of the Safari Rally.
“I shall be in charge of the stewards by ensuring all they need is taken care of and while also seating in the stewards’ meetings where issues on how the event is running are discussed and any disputes are sorted in accordance to FIA rules,” she said.
Kiiru acted in that position in six Safari Rallies and four events in the Rwanda Rally. She is the first indigenous Kenyan female official to perform the task at this level of international competition.
“I have visited Rwanda several times as the Secretary of Stewards and recently I was in the United Kingdom for the Wales Rally GB, through the WRC Safari Rally Project, for a training and observation mandate on how a world class WRC is run.”
Kiiru is part of the four senior women who play strong roles in the running of the Safari Rally, which will be returning to the World Rally Championship calendar next year.
The rest are Helen Shiri (Event Secretary), Ruth Muthui (Administration Secretary) and Joan Nesbitt (Competition Relations Officer for local competitors). Apart from Muthui, all the rest are Abdul Sidi Rally Advisor (ASRA) graduates.
“I had a short stint as a navigator and I was also head of marshals for the 2012 Safari Rally 2012 thanks to ASRA,” Kiiru said.
“In the rallying world, Abdul Sidi is my first point of contact. My uncle Gishinga and my late father, John Kiiru, introduced me to sports and encouraged me to take part. I also worked with Kenya Volleyball Federation deputy president Charles Nyaberi and Gishinga just before campus at Riadha House,” she added.
Kiiru participated in three Kenya National Rally Championship rounds. Her first event was the 2012 KCB Eldoret Rally and thereafter, two Guru Nanak events after graduating from ASRA. She has also done time keeping in many autocross events while at KMSF.
“In additional to amazing rally friends, I learnt the basics which have been fundamental in the rally journey,” Kiiru said.
